Drinking Culture: Why You Should Support Your Späti!

Drinking Culture: Why You Should Support Your Späti!

Some of you may ask what is a Späti and why should I support it. Well for those living in Berlin, the Späti is a way of life. For those of us not living in Berlin and planning to visit there, we might want clarification of what the Späti actually is? Well, the State is a little type of convenient store which stays open quite late. This is an ideal place to buy items such as liquor which can be quite convenient to bar owners and night club owners in the area. To citizens of Berlin and their local neighborhoods, the Späti is a way of life and part of their culture.

Späti Part of Culture

Turns out though that the Späti is really much more than a convenience store to those living in Berlin. Yes, this is a place to go to get liquor, snacks, tobacco, and other stuff, but this is also a place to interact with the community. To some, this is a place to hang out to make new friends, to catch up with neighbors, to just interact with those around you. To a tourist, this is also a place to find out more about the culture in a place that may remind them of their own local convenient stores but also are a piece of Berlin’s own unique cultural experience.

Troubling Times for Späti

However, as things stand the Späti could be facing a problem. New legislation in Berlin now prohibits the Späti from being open on Sundays. The reason, unlike some other convenience stores that sell just food items like milk and bread the Späti sells other things such as liquor and tobacco. Both of which now require licensing to sell on the day considered to be the Sabbath. If a Späti were to open on this day it would be subject to a fine of around 2500 each time it opens on this day. Not a good state of affairs since weekends are considered peak times for the Späti to have even more clientele. But the people are now taking a stand to get this piece of legislation changed and to allow the Späti to open on Sunday’s. There is now an online petition asking for individuals to sign that so far has gotten thousands of signatures. Who knows if it will do any good, but at least the people of Berlin are taking a stand to let their law makers know how they feel about their Späti and how they want this law changed.